Qualifying disaster prompts Oliver Bearman to take F1 Dutch GP pitlane start

Haas Formula 1 driver Oliver Bearman will start from the pitlane in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix after taking a brand-new power unit, making the most of a woeful qualifying session.

The British rookie had been facing a grid penalty as he was on the fourth power unit for the season, the maximum number allowed under the regulations.

Qualifying a disastrous 19th for an expected one-stop race at Zandvoort, Bearman has now taken the new engine parts under parc ferme, relegating him to a pitlane start but adding a new engine to his pool with minimal cost.

Bearman gets a fifth V6 engine, turbo, MGU-H and MGU-K, as well as a new set of control electronics. He also takes a new exhaust, which doesn’t exceed his allowance for the year.

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

With Esteban Ocon not faring much better in 18th, Bearman was completely baffled by Haas’ lack of progress as it moved onto the softest tyre compound.

“I had a really difficult feeling with this car,” he reported. “Starting off in FP3, on a hard tyre we looked incredible. The feeling was also like that – probably the best I felt all year. Then we put the softs on and we didn’t go any faster. It’s like I have a different car underneath me.

“I think the soft has been quite a peaky tyre, from what I’ve understood. It’s a bit more on the edge and a fine operating window. It just seems like we haven’t figured it out. I think we’re misunderstanding something between pressures and temperatures.”

Foreshadowing what would have been a relatively straightforward decision to take his engine penalty on Sunday, he said: “We had good race pace [on Friday], but from P19 I don’t expect we can do much.”